Rebirth in a Courtyard: I Am a Little Hunter

Wei Chen responded modestly, saying he was just doing his job. At that moment, an older worker wearing glasses asked with concern, "Comrade Wei Chen, you've just gotten back? Have you eaten? The factory canteen only opens its first canteen tonight to prepare something hot for those of us without families, but you need factory meal tickets. You just arrived, haven't you bought any tickets yet?"

"Yes, Master Ma." Wei Chen recognized him as the dealer during the card game earlier. "He grabbed a bite at a small restaurant outside."

"Oh, then you'd better hurry to the logistics department to buy meal tickets tomorrow!" The bespectacled man enthusiastically advised. "Just bring your work ID and money. You can buy coarse grain coupons, fine grain coupons, and vegetable coupons. Eating at the factory is much cheaper than outside, and you don't need grain coupons! There are several canteens in our factory, the first, the second, the third... but only the first canteen is open at night, it's close to our dormitory area. The other canteens are only open at noon."

Wei Chen carefully noted it down and thanked them repeatedly. He knew this information was very important. Meal tickets were another key to his survival at the steel rolling mill. He also noticed that the other person mentioned "the third canteen," which made him think of the character Sha Zhu from the TV series who worked at the third canteen.

The lively dormitory socializing continued for quite some time. Wei Chen, relying on his half-pack of economy cigarettes and the aura of "Wild Boar Hero," quickly integrated into this large group.

Everyone chatted about interesting things at the factory, the hardships of working in the workshop, their wives and children at home, and their anticipation for the wild boars. Wei Chen didn't say much, but he listened very attentively, occasionally interjecting a word or two, always keeping his tone just right.

Time slipped away unnoticed amidst the hustle and bustle. The dim, yellowish incandescent light on the dormitory roof seemed to have dimmed even further.

Wei Chen didn't have a watch, so he could only estimate based on his feelings and experience. The night outside the window was already as dark as ink, and the faint red glow of the blast furnace of the steel rolling mill in the distance was reflected on the horizon.

The noise in the dormitory gradually subsided; those playing cards stopped, and those chatting yawned incessantly. Many had already taken off their coats and crawled into bed, ready to sleep. The stale air seemed to settle down, leaving only the sounds of snoring and the occasional creaking of the bed boards as someone turned over.

Wei Chen estimated it was probably past nine o'clock. He stretched his legs, which had gone numb from sitting, and quietly got up. It was time to take care of some business.

Without disturbing anyone, he moved nimbly through the dimly lit dormitory, like a fish blending into the night, and arrived at the door. He gently pushed open the heavy wooden door, slipped out, and then turned back to close it slightly. The chilly autumn night wind instantly dispelled the stuffy air in the dormitory, invigorating him.

The third single dormitory is located outside the back wall of the steel rolling mill. It is a row of independent houses and is not inside the factory area, which greatly facilitated Wei Chen's movements. If it were inside the factory area, the checkpoint at the main gate alone would be a hassle.

He pushed his bicycle, not immediately mounting it, but instead walking slowly along the shaded area outside the factory. His ears twitched slightly, and a barely perceptible wisp of true energy quietly circulated in his dantian, flowing into his ears. Instantly, the surrounding world seemed to have been amplified and noise-canceled.

The hushed conversations of two night shift workers at the corner of the wall a few dozen meters away, the faint sounds of stray cats chasing each other in the alley in the distance, and the occasional roar of a truck engine passing by on the main road further away... the distance, direction, and intensity of all these sounds instantly formed a clear map in his mind.

At the same time, the hunter's ingrained instinctive perception of danger and surveillance was heightened to its peak. The coolness of the night breeze on his skin, the movement of fine dust particles in the air, even the slightest discordant stillness in the shadows... all became the basis for his judgment of the environment.

He navigated the city's labyrinth like a seasoned nocturnal animal. With superhuman hearing and perception, he could anticipate potential situations at intersections several breaths in advance.

At the entrance of a quiet alley, he abruptly stopped, pressing his body against the cold brick wall. A few seconds later, two beams of flashlight beams swept across the alley from the other end, accompanied by steady footsteps; two policemen wearing peaked caps patrolled past. Once the footsteps faded into the distance, he vanished like a ghost, quickly disappearing into the alley.

In this way, he walked and stopped, taking detours and avoiding danger. Relying on his extraordinary senses and calm judgment, Wei Chen managed to evade several groups of police officers and auxiliary police officers on night patrols without any real harm.

About half an hour later, he arrived at the address written on Li Huaide's note—located deep in a relatively quiet alley in Xicheng District, lined with detached houses on both sides.

This was an unassuming courtyard made of blue bricks, with a low gatehouse and a tightly closed black wooden door. The house number above the door was faintly visible in the moonlight. The courtyard was quiet, with no lights shining through.

Wei Chen propped his bicycle up in the shadows against the opposite wall. He didn't immediately approach, but instead stood in deeper shadows, listening and sensing intently once more. He confirmed that there was no unusual movement or lurking gaze within dozens of meters, only the faint barking of dogs and the sound of wind in the distance.

The time has come.

He focused his mind on the game backpack in his head, locking onto the most magnificent buck that was already prepared.

The light and shadow seemed to distort slightly in the next instant, and a massive adult male stag, with its antlers gleaming in the moonlight, silently appeared on the cobblestone path at his feet. The stag had only one arrow wound to its head, and it was dead instantly!

Wei Chen firmly held Lu down with one hand, while with the other hand, he bent his fingers and tapped the black lacquered wooden door three times with a rhythmic, measured touch. "Knock, knock knock."

The knocking sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet alley, yet carried a restrained caution.

There was no response from inside. But Wei Chen's keen ears caught the faint sound of footsteps approaching from behind the door. A few seconds later, the door creaked open, just wide enough for one person to squeeze through sideways. A wrinkled old face with sharp, eagle-like eyes appeared behind the crack, warily surveying the outside world.

"Delivering mountain produce," Wei Chen said succinctly, his voice low and steady.

The old man's cloudy gaze swept over Wei Chen's young face, then landed on the stag at his feet, which was being held down and wriggling restlessly. His pupils contracted slightly. He didn't ask anything, but simply stepped aside slightly, opening the door a crack.

Soon, a stocky man in his early thirties, wearing dark blue overalls, emerged from behind the door with swift movements.

He didn't say anything either, but exchanged a glance with the old man, and the two of them then moved in perfect unison, one grabbing the deer's two front legs and the other grabbing its two hind legs.

"Lift!" the burly man shouted. The two men exerted force simultaneously, lifting the heavy stag off the ground. The entire process was lightning fast, their coordination impeccable, clearly indicating this wasn't their first time doing this kind of work. The heavy stag was quickly carried through the doorway and disappeared into the darkness behind it. The door immediately closed, leaving only a soft "click" as the bolt snapped shut.

Throughout the entire process, Wei Chen simply stood in the shadows outside the door, observing coldly without stepping inside or engaging in any further interaction with the people inside.

Just as the door was about to close, the burly man glanced at Wei Chen, his eyes devoid of warmth. He merely nodded very slightly, as if to say hello and to indicate, "I've received the goods; you can leave now."

The transaction was completed cleanly and efficiently, with no tacit agreement.

Without a second thought, Wei Chen turned and left. He pushed the bicycle against the wall, hopped on, and with a powerful push, his figure quickly disappeared into the deeper night, as if he had never been there at all.

The alleyway fell silent again, with only the moonlight silently shining on the bluestone slabs, illuminating the small patch of messy hoof prints and a few fallen brown hairs left by the stag during its brief stop.

The return journey seemed much faster. Wei Chen remained vigilant, but his mood had relaxed considerably. He had made a preliminary connection with Li Huaide. The significance of this deer was enough to demonstrate his "value" and "sincerity" to the other party.

When he quietly pushed open the half-closed wooden door of the third single dormitory, slipped inside, and gently closed it again, the dormitory was already filled with snoring.

The sounds of snoring and teeth grinding at various frequencies and tones intertwined, creating a unique "dormitory symphony." The air was filled with the warm scent of the sleeping people and their even stronger body odor.

Using the faint moonlight filtering through the vent, Wei Chen tiptoed to his bunk at the end of the kang (heated brick bed). A man was sleeping sprawled out on the bunk next to him, his hairy arm almost draped over Wei Chen's straw mat.

Wei Chen took off his outer clothes, carefully folded them, and placed them beside his pillow. Wearing only his inner garment, he silently lay down on the hard, unfamiliar straw mat.

A wave of fatigue washed over me, but my mind was unusually clear and excited. In a single day, I was on the job, selling my body, buying land, pulling strings, and delivering "gifts" late at night... The sheer volume of information kept me on the go.

He closed his eyes, his hunter's powerful self-control allowing him to quickly adjust his breathing and calm his mind. In his game inventory, the property deeds that would determine his future lay securely. Besides the five hundred he'd spent on the land, he had a little over 1300 left in his inventory, along with some food stamps.

The noisy snoring in the dormitory, the feel of the hard kang bed beneath him, the complex smells in the air... all of these things vividly reminded him of where he was.

He didn't choose to enter the space to hunt and replenish his strength. Tonight's operation required absolute caution and discretion; any unusual energy fluctuations or mental exhaustion could bring unnecessary risks. He simply lay quietly, allowing his body to relax and recover naturally.

A barely perceptible smile curved at the corners of his lips in the darkness. The start had been relatively smooth. Tomorrow, there was still much to do—registering with the neighborhood committee, getting the food and ration books sorted, and the blueprint for that "golden house" built on the ruins.

Thoughts flashed through his mind, numerous yet clear. Soon, accompanied by the chorus of snores around him, Wei Chen's breathing became long and steady, and his consciousness sank into a dreamless sleep.